Light of Darkness Read online

  As I fall, the drop of the liquid slides from my armor and hits the leading soldier on the face. He stops, wiping his cheek. A crimson substance stains the tips of his fingers. His face fills with confusion as he examines it. “What—” He looks up. His eyes grow wide as they lock onto me.

  Landing in front of him, I bring down my left claw with the force of my descent. The tips of my fingers tear through his shoulder and glide through his breastplate like butter, breaking bone, ripping flesh and muscle alike. There is a mix of surprise, fear and pain on his face as he falls backward to the ground.

  “A demon!” the closest warrior screams. They all draw their swords.

  I rise from the ground, cracking my knuckles with the slightest twitch as blood drips from my claw. “I am sorry to inform you, but your mission has just been terminated and you along with it.”

  In anger for their fallen comrade, two of the remaining seven soldiers charge me. In the last moment of their approach, they lunge forward, set to strike. I feel a nauseating hum of power radiating from their blades as they draw near. These are no mundane weapons. Swiftly, I parry their attacks, pushing them to either side of me. Their momentum draws them in closer than I’m sure they intended. Their legs fly out from under them as I seize their necks, crushing their tracheas. Releasing their weapons, they begin to fight my grasp, all the while trying to breathe.

  Another young soldier readies himself to come at me. An older soldier with skin the color of clay steps forward, grabbing the kid’s shoulder. “Where do you think you’re going?” the old man’s strong voice rasps out.

  “Commander, I’m going to help my brothers,” the young soldier says, removing the commander’s hand.

  The commander’s light brown eyes dart between the two in my grasp, then to me. “Son, they’re already dead. All rushing in will do is lower our numbers.” The young soldier takes a deep breath, calming himself. “Good, now prepare…”

  Without warning, the young soldier breaks rank, screaming as he charges at me. In a mad dash, he races toward me, his blade glowing white. I lift the dead bodies and toss them at the approaching warrior. He ducks under the first body and shoulders the other, pushing it out of his way. With a few steps forward, I now stand in front of him. Frantic, he tries to swing, but I take hold of his hands, keeping them and his blade over his head. I drive my claw past his armor and into his diaphragm. Blood runs down my arm as he gasps for air. I rip my claw from him, and he collapses, choking. “He warned you,” I say, stepping over him.

  I approach the remaining four. They prepare themselves, getting into a two-by-two formation. “On my mark,” orders the commander. I dash toward them. “Now!” he screams, as I enter their range. The leading two warriors run at me, aiming slashes at my abdomen. Energy swirls around my legs and feet as I place my right foot in between their crossed blades, stopping them cold. The commander and his other subordinate follow up, thrusting their swords in my face and cutting past my armor into my cheek. The swirling energy around my legs solidifies, forming greaves and protecting my legs as I push off the stilled blades. I flip backward and retreat to a safe distance.

  While I regain my composure, they push forward in the same formation, always coming in twos, slashing or piercing from high to low with the intention of keeping me off-balance. Dodging the fierce attacks, I begin to see through their movements. I can predict exactly when, where, and how strong their attacks will be. Planting myself, I prepare to retaliate.

  “Hold,” the commander orders, pulling back his sword. They all stop, breathing hard.

  “I swear I hit him,” says one of the soldiers, searching his blade for blood.

  “Aye. I know I took his arm, but there it is.”

  “Be on your guard. This is no ordinary demon. He is using an ancient demon art called Nigi. I don’t know much, but I do know he is more dangerous than we can fathom,” the commander warns.

  His subordinates look a little uneasy, and I’m genuinely surprised. To know even that, this old man must be knowledgeable in obscure demon history—though it’s not going save him or his men. With the sun beaming through the trees behind them, the soldiers’ shadows stretch just shy of me. I take a step toward the collective mass, and they ready themselves in turn.

  I focus my energy into their shadows. They begin to move and shift, coming to life. “Come forth,” I command from under my breath. From the shadows under their feet, red eyes appear. Serpents the color of coal slither close to the four soldiers, poised to strike.

  “Why does he just stare at us?” one of the soldiers asks.

  The commander eyes me, the worry lines on his face prominent, no doubt pondering my next move. His gaze lowers, and his face fills with surprise, then urgency. “Move!” he yells. The commander turns, dragging his blade across the ground and through a serpent. The other serpents lash out, striking, wrapping around, and constricting their respective soldier. The commander quickly rolls away.

  Channeling energy into my claws and legs, I dash into the middle of the three immobilized soldiers. With a spin, I release the energy from the tips of my claws, and it slices through them like blades. Their heads hit the ground, followed by their bodies, with a bloody spray that covers everything, including me.

  I turn to find the commander on the ground, horror-stricken. “Movements unseen by the naked eye, a user of Nigi and a manipulator of darkness itself. I’ve only heard of one in the whole demon army able to achieve such feats…the fifth ranking general, Shadow.” His hands begin to tremble as I step toward him. He stands and steels himself. Though his fear is obvious, he manages a smile. “But I must say, I thought you would be a lot better; I dispatched your serpent with ease.”

  I shift my head to the side. “You dispatched one.”

  His smug smile twists into surprise, then pain as he falls to his knees, grabbing his chest. He falls over, blood beginning to pour from his mouth.

  “How?” he asks.

  “There is darkness and shadow everywhere. Even under your armor.”

  I walk closer to him and, from under his breastplate, hear the hiss of multiple serpents. They constrict around his torso. The snapping sound of his ribs breaking echoes out from beneath his armor. With his head bowed, he starts to laugh, even with all his ribs broken.

  “What’s so funny, human?”

  He coughs uncontrollably as he struggles to his feet. The man stands tall and looks me in the eyes. “Your time on this plane has come to an end,” he says, falling forward.

  I catch him by the throat and lift him into the air. His pulse slows with every beat of his heart. “Oh really? And who will be my end, human? You?”

  Like a tsunami, a massive wave of energy envelops the area, making my armor and skin crawl. From the densest part of the forest, three soldiers on horseback appear, shining. How did I not notice them until now?

  They stop about ten feet away. The gleaming white-and-gold armor of the light they wear pulsates with the same nauseating energy as the human’s weapons. On each of their banners are three star-like crosses encompassed by a white flame. The soldiers’ breastplates are marked with three crosses. They are of a high rank—lieutenants I believe, the first I’ve seen. They dismount, eyeing the dead.

  The commander, who still dangles from my grasp, places his hand on my shoulder. “They will be your...demise...Shadow,” he says with that smug smile. His body falls limp in my hold.

  The soldiers’ full attention turns to me as the commander’s body hits the ground. The power radiating from them is so stiflingly intense. They must be true angelic warriors. There is no way a human could wield that much power without being driven insane.

  “Ready your blades, the general, Shadow, stands before us,” the head soldier orders, his voice light and muffled by his helm.

  They draw their swords, readying themselves for an attack. The two lieutenants on either side of the leading warrior move at an angle to my left and right until they surround me.

  I’ve seen
this three-point formation before. First, they surround me. Next, they charge me, one after another, trying to keep me confused and off-balance. Last, during the confusion, one of them will land the final blow, driving the blade right into my heart. They reach their positions and wait.

  Something is off. The two on my left and right never take their eyes from their leader. If they were going to move on me, they would have done it. They have another plan; they’re just waiting on the signal. Energy wells up within me, and their horses fidget anxiously in response. I dash toward the lieutenant on my left, ready to rip out their heart.

  “NOW!” their leader shouts.

  The lieutenant before me and the one behind me kneel, plunging their blades deep into the blood-soaked ground. Their swords begin to glow with an intense light that shoots upward into the sky. The wave of light and energy coming from the swords stops me in my tracks. Every shred of darkness in the area vanishes, except for my armor. A barrier of light appears behind me. I move right, just dodging it as it stretches between the two swords. I look in the leader’s direction. He stands there, preparing his sword to do the same.

  Their plan is to trap me. It’s not going to work. With a burst of energy from my legs, I take off toward him.

  The two other barrier walls begin to form, closing me in, but I’m already in reach of him. I swing my right claw, aiming for his throat, but at that same moment, he kneels, dodging me and plunging his sword into the ground. I follow up my miss with an upward swipe. He leans back, dodging me once again. Light explodes from the sword, knocking me back and completing the barrier.

  I look out at my captor through the barrier of light as he removes his torn helm. Deep-black eyes peer at me from behind strands of long, black curly hair. A woman? She stands, moving her hair away from her face, and wiping away the fresh blood. The others stand, removing their helmets. All three of them are women.

  “Gotcha,” she says with a cocky smile. I punch the barrier in front of her, expelling a massive blast of energy. She steps back, still wearing that smile.

  “We did it!” shouts the lighter-skinned and thicker of the lieutenants as she jumps up and down.

  “So, Ricilia, what do we do now?” asks the other lieutenant, her green eyes and tan skin vibrant in the light.

  “We do what we were sent here to do…destroy a demon,” the head lieutenant, Ricilia, says, never taking her eyes off me.

  The green-eyed lieutenant moves closer, ruffling her short, straight hair. Her narrow face is full of worry as she stares at me. “How do we destroy it? The barrier normally kills them instantly, but it’s still standing like nothing’s happening.”

  “The only way to kill a being of pure darkness is with the pure light of heaven. Paulina, Arianna, back to your positions.”

  Doing as ordered, they all kneel before their swords and begin to chant together in a language that I’ve never heard before. The soldiers begin to glow as the power of the words start to take hold. Energy surges from them and pours into the barrier, intensifying it, so that I can no longer see through it.

  The trees above me seem to move, opening to a darkened sky. The clouds above swirl as lightning builds within them. There’s a flash, and a piercing light overtakes me. The weight of it drives me to my knees.

  “What is this?” I fight to get back to my feet. They continue chanting, and the light intensifies. My strength quickly fades, and I fall back down to one knee.

  “Demon,” says a voice riddled with arrogance.

  I look up, and from out of the light, a man with skin as dark as ash and hair like fire, wearing similar armor as the lieutenants, appears. A red cape trimmed with gold hangs over his shoulder as he steps up to me. He draws his sword, its blade a gleaming silver, and places it to my throat. White fire gradually engulfs the blade, painfully burning away my armor. “I am Ira, Angel of Judgment and your executioner,” he explains. Pure white wings protrude from the back of his armor.

  I’ve never run into an angel this powerful, before today. It’s nerve racking, but this little scare tactic won’t work on me. I grab the still-burning blade with my claw, changing the white flame to black. With all my dwindling strength, I force myself to stand. Bit by bit, my armor falls to the ground, turning into white smoke at my feet. I look the angel straight in his golden-red eyes, which fill with surprise, and smile. “I am Shadow, the fifth general of the demon army.” Ira tries to step back, but I keep hold of his blade. “What are you waiting for executioner? Try and kill me. If you can.”

  His rugged features harden with rage. He rips his sword from my grasp and readies himself, getting into a fighting stance. I feel his energy slam into me, dispelling the remaining darkness covering me; it takes my breath away. His intent is clear: to strike me down where I stand. My armor and claws are nonexistent now. After my little show, I’m exhausted and just standing here out of pure will. There’s nothing I can do against him, only accept my fate. Ira rushes me, screaming, ready to drive his blade through me. My eyes begin to burn as the white of the barrier is tinged with red, and something wet runs down my face.

  He stops and the tip of his blade hovers just above my heart. “What’s the meaning of this?” he asks looking over his shoulder.

  There is a flash of golden light. The silhouette of a person made of the same light appears next to him, its hand over his. Ira lowers his sword and folds his wings, surprise and confusion on his face. “Sir?”

  “Tears of blood,” the being of pure light says in a wispy tone.

  Ira relaxes, taking notice of my tears. He looks at me with disdain. “You are not what you appear to be.”

  The being steps closer to me. “He may be of some use to us.”

  This thing is nothing like Ira. His light is tainted by anger and rage—emotions I know far too well. Its power is pure, old, and somehow soothing. My hands tremble as I fight this calming feeling, but the closer it gets to me, the harder it is.

  “What are you going to do to it, sir?” Ira asks, his body language still hostile.

  Now right in front me, the being lightly touches my face. An unnatural calm washes over me. My body relaxes and melts to mush. A connection forms between us, and I feel it begin to delve deep into me—into my mind, body, and soul. “Purge,” it says lightly. With a great flash, everything goes white.

  I’m floating now, in an endless void of white. The smell of blood and dirt are gone, replaced by the scent of fresh rain and wildflowers. “Kross.” The being’s voice radiates all around me. “You meditate before every battle so that your mind is not affected by the deaths of your victims. But your body and soul have shown me the truth. They tell me that you are one of a few demons with light in your heart, though something has forced you into the darkness.”

  “You know nothing of me,” I say, still unable to move.

  “I know that you are hiding from yourself. You are aged beyond your years because of it.”

  I start to laugh. “This is the real me. I’ve always been a monster, a taker of lives, and I have enjoyed every moment of it!” I scream. My eyes start to burn, and I see red again.

  The being takes hold of my neck with a viselike grip. “Do not lie to me, little demon,” it says, putting energy behind each word. My body shuts down further. It all stops—my senses, my breathing, my heart, everything. What is this thing? It pulls me closer. “I have existed for eons. I have seen true pain and suffering, for I have been the cause of them. Your bloody tears reveal to me the anguish you endure. Even now, as we speak.” It wipes the tears from my face and releases me.

  I gasp for air as my body regains control. Fear creeps up my throat. “What are you about to do to me?” I ask.

  It chuckles. “I’m going to help you. Help you rise from your own darkness. Your mind, body and soul will be reborn anew. But first, you must face the death and fear that you have brought upon this world. So, let us begin.”

  The golden light surrounding the being intensifies, enveloping me and the entire void. Then
, everything goes black.

  I open my eyes to find myself standing in the middle of a burning village.

  I recognize this place. This is the last mission I was sent on. I was to destroy a human village within our territory, which supposedly had been housing the light’s army. I and a few of my men tore through the village until there was only one hut left.

  I turn around and behind me is the hut. My stomach starts to churn as I look at it. With one step forward, the world around me morphs, and I’m suddenly inside. The light of the blaze outside shines through the window, casting twisted shadows along the floor and walls. A woman scrambles from the other room, dragging her child behind her. Quickly, she places things in front of the door and finds a spot just behind me to await their fate.

  The door flies open, knocking her makeshift barricade all over the place. Here I come, walking in. The darkness of my incomplete armor shifts rapidly in the light of the fires raging outside the door. Blood drips from my claws.

  “Please, why are you doing this?” the woman pleads.

  “Your village has been accused of housing the light, and by decree of Beal, you are to be destroyed.”

  “No! We are loyal.”

  “Yes, I see that.” I—he—takes a step toward us. I consider his eyes. There’s no life in them. No surprise. Red tears begin to fall from his eyes. “But my orders are clear. There are to be no survivors.”

  She clutches her child. “You monster. Your soul will forever rot in hell.”

  The energy within his claws pulsate. “I know.”

  I step forward. “Don’t do this,” I say to him.

  He swings his claw, and it goes right through me. The sound of their bodies hitting the floor, and the last breath they take is loud in my ears. He starts to breathe heavily. I remember how it felt, watching the life leave their eyes. It hurt.

  I awake from the memory screaming and in immense pain. I’m not in the village anymore or in the vast void of white, but back inside the barrier before the being and Ira.